By Katya Kuhns, ISA South Korea Site Specialist
South Korea is a unique and intriguing country. As it becomes more and more popular among U.S. students, here are 7 reasons why studying in South Korea is a great idea.
1) American-style campus
American students studying in South Korea will find that their host university campus gives off the vibe of a little student town, very similar to the one they see in the U.S. A typical Korean campus has everything – banks, post office, health center, libraries, dormitories, cafeterias, convenience stores, coffee shops and much more! Korea University, for example, is so big that it has a free shuttle bus system to take students from one part of campus to another.
2) High Quality of Education
South Korea is a Confucius country that values education and strives to achieve great results. With their high quality of education, Korean universities are among the best in Asia! Attending a university in Korea will inspire students to study hard and look forward to their classes. There are, however, academic differences between studying in the U.S. and in South Korea. For example, Korean professors may give students fewer weekly assignments and homework so final grades will rely more heavily on the results of midterm and final exams.
3) Classes with local students
When studying in South Korea, students will take classes in English with Korean and international students. It’s a great opportunity to branch out and make new friends with students from all over the world! University students in Korea are typically enthusiastic to share their culture with visiting students and to learn about the culture of their foreign visitors.
4) Korean Language
All ISA partner universities in Busan and Seoul offer visiting students the opportunity to take a Korean language course. For beginners, Korean Language may look like a bunch of strokes and circles and can seem overwhelming. However, Korean language is easier to learn than you might think. Korean words are made with 24 consonants and vowels, known as Hangul, or the Korean alphabet. After learning the alphabet, students will be able to read any word in Korean in no time!
5) Buddy Assistance Program
For students wanting to fully immerse themselves into Korean culture and see what being a student in Korean university is like, they can do so with the help and support of a local Korean student through the “Buddy” program. A “Buddy” will be each student’s first Korean best friend. She or he will invite their “Buddy” to local events and help them with daily life in Korea.
6) Student Clubs
Student Club activities are often considered the gem of campus life. Joining others who share similar hobbies, interests and talents and growing together are an essential pleasure in university life. Korean universities take student clubs seriously. There are dozens of clubs students can sign up for and look forward to attend after classes.
7) University Festivals
One of the most exciting parts of studying abroad in South Korea is to experience an annual Korean university festival! Most Korean schools host festivals every year that vary in duration and size, based on each university. No matter what festival students attend, it will be a lot of fun! During the afternoons, there are numerous booths throughout the campus hosted by students clubs and associations. In the evening, students gather to wait for the main event of the night: the arrival and performance of popular K-pop bands on stage. Experiencing an event like this will give you a sense of bonding and make your time abroad truly memorable.
Spend a J-Term, summer, semester or a full academic year in Seoul or Busan. There is even the possibility of adding a mission experience at Korea University for Christian students.
Want to learn more? Just fill out the form below and our South Korea Site Specialist will get in touch.
